Billy Nelson, coach of talented DR Congo heavyweight Martin Bakole Ilunga (18-1, 13 KOs), expects 2023 to be a breakthrough year for his ward.
First, Bakola must avenge his only career loss to Michael Hunter when he was forced to capitulate in the final round of the fight due to a shoulder injury, and then finally become a champion, overthrowing Briton Daniel Dubois from the throne.
“We have no doubt that we will fight Hunter. For example, we will be happy to fight him in March if Josh Taylor does meet (in a rematch) with Jack Catterall,” Nelson said. “I am in no way trying to take anything away from Hunter, he is a very good fighter. But you can trust me that in their first fight, Martin Bakole was not himself. All you have to do is watch his fight against Mariusz Wach, whom he knocked out faster than Povetkin, Klitschko and everyone else. Few people would dare to go to Paris to fight the Olympic gold medalist (Tony Yoka, approx. vRINGe), and Bakole gave him the beating of his life. We need to give Martin Bakola a lot more credit than he gets.”
“The fight with Hunter will be the final eliminator for the fight with Dubois. Let’s take a broader view,” the coach urged. – If Usyk fights Fury, there is a high probability that the WBA Super title will become vacant (I wonder why that would be? Note vRINGe), and then Daniel will need an opponent, and he will not find anyone better than the winner of the final eliminator. We are ready for such a fight at any time. When they sparred, Daniel was like a rabbit in the headlights. Martin would have destroyed it.”
By the way, once Oleksandr Usyk told who “patted” him in sparring before the rematch with Joshua.
A source:
Sky Sports